Help Me Choose a Team

[infrared41]

You should root for the Clips. Nobody will accuse you of being a bandwagoner, and when the miracle occurs and the Clippers actually play really well and win the Finals (it has to happen sometime, right?) you can say you liked them before.

That would make two Clippers fans. Tomorrow the world!!!

[Gregmond]

Thanks everyone for your opinions, but with no clear winner, I have decided to embark on a Bill Simmons style review of all teams.

I am ranking teams based on:

• 
  - history
  - team legends (players / coaches)
  - colours / uniform
  - current coach
  - key players
  - celebrity fans
  - stadium
  - potential vacation spot
  - x factors
  

So ... if you have any suggestions on what I should consider, please let me know. If not, I will announce my decision at the end of the process!

I'm taking my talents to ...

(STAY TUNED)

[DustDevil61]

As a last-ditch effort, stay with the Utah Jazz as your team. Unless you have already made your decision.

[floydnimrod]

I voted Memphis. I want someone to join me on the Grizzlies Bandwagon!

[Lights Out]

That would make two Clippers fans. Tomorrow the world!!!

Well, if that's true, explain how the Clippers got three votes in the poll!

[TFoA]

I voted for the Celtics after reading your post...but I understand if you'll go with the Grizzlies based on the poll. Lord knows they need some fans.

[infrared41]

That would make two Clippers fans. Tomorrow the world!!!

Well, if that's true, explain how the Clippers got three votes in the poll!

Wow. Seriously? Think about it for a minute. Isn't it pretty obvious? 30 NBA teams. 10 choices in the poll. Does that explain it for you?

[Lee.]

Choose your own team. Asking the internet is just asking for trouble.

[DDR]

Go with the Utah Jazz. Then immediately buy a Deron Williams jersey.

[oddball]

Okay, let's kill a myth. You don't choose the teams you root for... usually. It's like attraction, you don't choose to be attracted to a woman, you just are. There are things women can do to make themselves unattractive, but attraction isn't a choice. Rooting for a sports team isn't a choice either. It just happens. Being in SoCal I became fans of the Dodgers, Angels, Rams, Kings because they were local. I remember the 1980 playoff game that the Dodgers lost to the Astros, I became a fan. I remember the 1982 playoffs the Angels lost to the Brewers, I became a fan of them during the season. I've gone to more Angel games than Dodger games, yet the Dodgers are my #1 team in baseball. As far as the Kings go, I just was flipping channels one in 1984 and caught a game I think it was at Washington and became a fan of them and the sport. I'm not sure when I became a Rams fan, but being 20 minutes from the Big A, I've only been to two games a preseason and regular season game both vs. San Diego. When the Rams left, I could root for my other team, Tampa. I think I did choose Tampa because a cool 5th grade teacher was a fan of them when I was in 4th grade and that was 1983, and because of that I think I had to suffer through being a Buccaneer fan. Don't choose your team, let it happen naturally. Watch games and you will gravitate towards a team and that will be your team through the good and the bad.

[infrared41]

Okay, let's kill a myth. You don't choose the teams you root for... usually. It's like attraction, you don't choose to be attracted to a woman, you just are. There are things women can do to make themselves unattractive, but attraction isn't a choice. Rooting for a sports team isn't a choice either. It just happens. Being in SoCal I became fans of the Dodgers, Angels, Rams, Kings because they were local. I remember the 1980 playoff game that the Dodgers lost to the Astros, I became a fan. I remember the 1982 playoffs the Angels lost to the Brewers, I became a fan of them during the season. I've gone to more Angel games than Dodger games, yet the Dodgers are my #1 team in baseball. As far as the Kings go, I just was flipping channels one in 1984 and caught a game I think it was at Washington and became a fan of them and the sport. I'm not sure when I became a Rams fan, but being 20 minutes from the Big A, I've only been to two games a preseason and regular season game both vs. San Diego. When the Rams left, I could root for my other team, Tampa. I think I did choose Tampa because a cool 5th grade teacher was a fan of them when I was in 4th grade and that was 1983, and because of that I think I had to suffer through being a Buccaneer fan. Don't choose your team, let it happen naturally. Watch games and you will gravitate towards a team and that will be your team through the good and the bad.

Exactly. Well said oddball.

[Lee.]

Okay, let's kill a myth. You don't choose the teams you root for... usually. It's like attraction, you don't choose to be attracted to a woman, you just are. There are things women can do to make themselves unattractive, but attraction isn't a choice. Rooting for a sports team isn't a choice either. It just happens. Being in SoCal I became fans of the Dodgers, Angels, Rams, Kings because they were local. I remember the 1980 playoff game that the Dodgers lost to the Astros, I became a fan. I remember the 1982 playoffs the Angels lost to the Brewers, I became a fan of them during the season. I've gone to more Angel games than Dodger games, yet the Dodgers are my #1 team in baseball. As far as the Kings go, I just was flipping channels one in 1984 and caught a game I think it was at Washington and became a fan of them and the sport. I'm not sure when I became a Rams fan, but being 20 minutes from the Big A, I've only been to two games a preseason and regular season game both vs. San Diego. When the Rams left, I could root for my other team, Tampa. I think I did choose Tampa because a cool 5th grade teacher was a fan of them when I was in 4th grade and that was 1983, and because of that I think I had to suffer through being a Buccaneer fan. Don't choose your team, let it happen naturally. Watch games and you will gravitate towards a team and that will be your team through the good and the bad.

This. A thousand times this.

Do you think I willingly became a Cubs fan? No, I was a Cubs fan because when I was in high school, my dad bought one of those huge, ugly-ass satellite dishes, put it up in the front yard, and every day when I got home from school, the only game that was on was a Cubs game (this is before Wrigley put the lights in). Every day at 4, I got home, turn on the game, and from the third inning on, I lived and died with Ryne Sandberg, Ron Cey, and Andre Dawson. That's what got me loving the Cubs, a love affair that has been tested MANY times, but one that still goes on.

[HedleyLamarr]

I voted for the Celtics after reading your post...but I understand if you'll go with the Grizzlies based on the poll. Lord knows they need some fans.

I was in Memphis in late June, and in the couple days I was there...I saw a lot more Grizzlies gear being worn by the natives than I expected to see. So maybe fan support isn't as big a problem as we think it is.

The Grizzlies have been a bad team the last few years, and the city itself seems to have folks that are poorer than richer.

[TFoA]

Don't choose your team, let it happen naturally. Watch games and you will gravitate towards a team and that will be your team through the good and the bad.

Agreed. Last year I tried to choose a team in the EPL once I decided to seriously follow that league. I chose Aston Villa in the preseason, and ended up becoming a Manchester City follower at the end. It's all osmosis.

I voted for the Celtics after reading your post...but I understand if you'll go with the Grizzlies based on the poll. Lord knows they need some fans.

I was in Memphis in late June, and in the couple days I was there...I saw a lot more Grizzlies gear being worn by the natives than I expected to see. So maybe fan support isn't as big a problem as we think it is.

The Grizzlies have been a bad team the last few years, and the city itself seems to have folks that are poorer than richer.

Maybe I'm too used to watching their games whenever the Hawks are in town & the Hawks are a bad road draw to begin with...compound that with a weeknight game and it looks like Philips Arena from 2001-2006 in there.

[deep]

You should just watch some games without any bias and you'll end up picking a team within a couple of weeks. I watched 1 oakland raiders game and i became a fan(oakland freaking lost that game too)...it just happens, when i tried to change my team because i got to know how bloody horrible they are i just couldnt pick a new team. Even though i just saw 1 match. You'll know when you have that connection with the team.

Though the homer in me has to say PICK 76ERS!!!

[Gregmond]

So ... several months on, and even after a vacation to Vancouver and LA, despite watching the Cippers host the Thunder, and despite getting into the arena 45 minutes early to watch the shoot-around, I am still without a team!!! Having just ridden through the Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks, I am determined to lock-in with someone ... BUT, the decision I have made is to wait until a team moves (or expands) to Seattle or Vancouver and they will be my team. It might take a while, but I'll get to pick a real "home" team, and I get to stay neutral for a few more years!

[BrySmalls]

So ... several months on, and even after a vacation to Vancouver and LA, despite watching the Cippers host the Thunder, and despite getting into the arena 45 minutes early to watch the shoot-around, I am still without a team!!! Having just ridden through the Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks, I am determined to lock-in with someone ... BUT, the decision I have made is to wait until a team moves (or expands) to Seattle or Vancouver and they will be my team. It might take a while, but I'll get to pick a real "home" team, and I get to stay neutral for a few more years!

You should have entrusted the voting consensus and followed the Grizzlies this past season. Not only did they make the playoffs and notched their first playoff win in franchise history; but, they managed to upset the San Antonio Spurs in the First Round of the Playoffs for their first playoff series win and almost beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Conference Semifinals!

[YessSir32]

The Detroit Pistons. They are my team, therefore they should be everyone's favorite team.

[justie]

Toronto Raptors

I would go for the Raps but then again there record... is another story

[TheClevelandHockey]

Just be a Heat fan. If you seriously care about everyone else's opinions, you'd be choosing the wrong team anyway. If you really care about the NBA pick a team you want to follow.

Or be a Cavaliers fan.